Imbalance of t-cell subpopulations does not result in defective helper function in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

✍ Scribed by Tsuyoshi Inoshita; Theresa L. Whiteside

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 662 KB
• Volume: 48
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19811015)48:8<1754::aid-cncr2820480811>3.0.co;2-7

✦ Synopsis

The T-lymphocyte subpopulations identified by the Fc receptors for igG (T, cells) and IgM (TSl cells) in 12 patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were quantitated and studied for functional capabilities in a n i n virro assay. The TG cells in patients were elevated in relation to age-and sex-matched normal controls ( P < 0.05) resulting in an altered T,,/TG ratio of 1.8 i 0.76 in CLL versus 5.9 -r 3.7 in controls (mean t SD, P < 0.001). Despite this altered T,/T,; ratio. the functional capability of the CLL T cells to regulate the terminal differentiation of B cells was found to be normal as reflected by the mean helper-suppressor score of 0.77 ? 0.13 (t SEM) obtained for both patients and controls. This unimpaired capacity of the T cells from CLL patients to help normal B cells mature into immunoglobulin-secreting cells indicated that hypogammaglobulinemia and monoclonal serum immunoglobulins in these patients may be a result of either an intrinsic defect in the B lymphocytes or their replacement by a neoplastic clone rather than a defect in the immunoregulatory T cells.